Connecticut western news., 1887-11-23
THE MINISTER'S PIE.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.

pies and cakes, the plump turkey stuffed and trussed ready for the baking, and the big chicken pie, to which her fingers had put the finishing touches, as she repeated rather more decidedly:
 'Look here, Sally! There's enough chicken left, with the giblets-that l never put in my own pie, because the deacon don't relish 'em-ter make a Thanksgiving pie for the minister's folks. 'Twont need to be very large" !" she added, in reply to Sally's doubtful look. "Only the minister and his wife and you can bake it in that smallest yallar dish. Now I'm going up stairs ter look over th. .n rags, an you make it an bake it right off sos I can send it over by the deacon"
 'Yes'm," answered Sally, briskly; and catching up the rolling-pin she brought it down with an emphasis upon a lump of dough upon the moulding board.
 As the stairway door closed behind her mistress, Sally dropped the rolling pin, and look of perplexity crept over her dull face, making it ten times more stolid than usual, while she repeated, in ludicrous bewilderment:
 "Giblets! What in all creation, if anybody can tell ne, does she mean by them2"
 Involuntarily she took step forward, but checked herself as quickly, while cunning smile replaced the look ot perplexity, and she muttered triumph antly:
 sI guess I ain't a-goin' ter confess my ignorance to the deacon's wife and let her have her say, as she always does, Two terms ter the 'cademy, Sally, and not know thatp No, ma'am! not whil< sa.vrv.s-a <aiv.fvnory the housc!'
 So, softly creeping into the adjoining sitting-room, she hastily opened big dictionary on the deacon's writing desk, and began her search for the mysterious word.
 "G-i-b---here 'tis!' and she reao aloud to herself, with an air of triumph the following definition:
 "Those parts of fowl which are re. moved before cooking-heart, gizzard, liver, etc."
 ''That's it!--heart, gizzard, liver an6 so forth," she repeated joyfully, as sh' retraced her steps to the kitchen, and began with alacr.ty, to fill, according tt directions, the minister's pie; keeping up meanwhile, running fire of com ment for her own special benefit.
 "Six gizzards! We'll, that is rathe steep, as Dan Weston would say. But guess the deacon's wife knows; if sh don't, tain't none of my business. Si, hearts! Them's small, and tuck into tn corners handy. Six ivers! Seems te me they don't fill up much," and sh glanced with perplexed air, at a pile o denuded chicken bones that formed he only resource.
 'sNow, I wonder," with sudden in spiration, "what that 'and so forth means7 Here's hearts, gizzards ant ivers, plenty of lem, but no land s' forth, and the pie ain't more than two thirds full yet. It must mean," and sh cast bewildered look at the half-fllet pie, 'the chickens legs. Inever knev nobody ter put them in pie, but tha must be what it means, and they'll jus fill up.
 No sooner thought than done. | went three pairs of stout yellow leg upon which their unfortunate owner had strutted so proudly only the day be fore; on went the we'll rolled dough covering them from sight, and into tn oven went the minister's pie, just as tn mistress of the house re-entered he kitchen, and with an approving glanc at the snowy pastry, remarked, encoul agingly:
 'That pie looks real neat, Sally. shouldn't wonder if, in time, you cam to be quite cook"
 It was Thanksgiving morning, an Miss Patience Pringle stood at tt minister's back door. To be sure it WI rather early for callers, but Miss Pring was, as she often boasted, Zone of tt kind that never stood on ceremony Indeed, she didn't consider it necessa, even to knock before she opened Il door, although she was thoughtf' enough in opening it to do so softl, The minister's wife was just taking fro the oven a newly warmed chicken pi which she nearly dropped from h' hand, so startled was she by tho shar] shrill voice that spoke so close to her:
 'Good mornin', Mrs. Graham. Hain
 been to breakfast yet, see. We ha
 ours half an hour ago. know n
 mother used to say that if anybody To
 an hour In the mornin,' they migl
 chase it all day, and not catch up vii
 it then"
 | "That's a good-lookin' pie--pret
 rich pastry though, for chicken pie.
 don't never put much shortnin' in an
 thing of that kind. It's rich enoue
 inside to make up. But you're youn
 an have got good many things 1. learn ret I run in to see if you cou sax-.Sr& &S n..n >S ~Aceks ,,n3v,a .o,re